extravagancy
(ɛkˈstrævəgənsɪ)
[f. extravagant: see -ancy.]
† 1. A wandering beyond bounds or out of one's course; vagrancy; an instance of this. Obs.
| 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. ii. i. 12 My determinate voyage is meere extrauagancie. 1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 224, I will lead you through no more extravagancies. 1669 Woodhead St. Teresa i. Pref. 16 For recollecting of the Thoughts, and hindering them from extravagancy. |
2. The quality or fact of being extravagant (in senses 5, 6): † a. Abnormal or unusual character, eccentricity; impropriety, unbecomingness (obs.). b. The quality of exceeding the bounds of decorum, taste, or probability; in later use, flagrant excess, outrageousness. Now somewhat rare; cf. extravagance 2.
| 1651 Hobbes Leviath. i. viii. 33 In Sonnets, Epigrams..the Fancy must be more eminent; because they please for the Extravagancy. 1653 H. Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xviii. (1663) 62 With the like extravagancy he answered to many other questions. 1690 Child Disc. Trade (ed. 4) 76 For the bettering of trade, and pareing off the extravagancy of the Law. 1698 Vanbrugh Prov. Wife iii. i, Were it not for the extravagancy of the example, I should e'en tear out these wicked eyes. 1720 Welton Suffer. Son of God II. xiv. 362 Touch'd with the Extravagancy..of the Jewish Nation. |
3. = extravagance 3.
| 1625 Bp. R. Montagu App. Cæsar ii. xxxiv. 248 Popish extravagancies. 1662 Gerbier Princ. 17 The causes of many Deformities and Extravagancies in Buildings. 1671 R. Bohun Disc. Wind 64 The Peruvian [mountains], and some others which may be reckon'd as the Extravagancys of Nature.. overlook the Clouds. 1761 Hume Hist. Eng. III. lx. 295 Numberless were the extravagancies which broke out among the people. 1834 Sir W. Hamilton Discuss. 491 Luther was betrayed into..extravagancies by an assurance of his personal inspiration. 1838 Whewell in Todhunter Whewell's Writings (1876) II. 273 Landor's extravagancies of expression. |
† 4. = extravagance 4. Obs.
| 1666 G. Alsop Charac. Maryland (1866) 36 Natures extravagancy of a superabounding plenty. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) I. xlii. 324 All your extravagancies have been supported gratis. 1750 G. Hughes Barbadoes 110, I have always thought it the height of extravagancy and luxury to fell so stately a tree. 1822 E. Nathan Langreath I. 19 He wanted money to pursue his extravagancies. |